AEBR NEWSFLASH - APRIL 2011

Transcription

1 AEBR NEWSFLASH - APRIL 2011 EASTERN PARTNERSHIP Amongst the many current debates in the European Union, the one with most implications for all European policies is on the Financial Perspectives of the EU for the next programming period. However, measures to strengthen the Union s role in the world, i.e. the Common External Policy of the EU and its relationship with neighbouring countries, should also raise our attention, as it has to do with the security and the cohesion of the European territory but also with the European weight in the game of globalization. The re-appearance of the Schengen debate adds confusion and challenges even more EU institutions (see page 4). In this sense, the AEBR Newsflash March 2011 devoted its front page to the Mediterranean question, and now we would like to draw our readers attention on the Eastern Partnership. The AEBR has always been following this very closely, due to the presence of AEBR members in most of these countries, and also to the growing crossborder dynamics in most of related border areas. In 2011 we will also celebrate our General Assembly and Annual Conference in Kursk (Euroregion Yaroslavna, Russian Federation), September, paying a special attention to the development of cross-border cooperation at the external borders of the EU and far beyond. (More: Infos about the AEBR General Assembly and Annual Conference 2011 in Kursk/Russia, Euroregion Yaroslavna: event_id=79 II Forum R&D and Innovation in Border Regions, Vigo/Galicia 5th-6th April 2011 Vigo (Galicia, Spain) The II Forum R&D and Innovation in Border Areas, held in Vigo, Galicia/Spain on 5th and 6th April 2011, attracted more than 80 participants from different European Institutions, border regions, universities, and the economic sector. A comprehensive report with photos is available on in English, French and German following this l i n k : h t t p : / / w w w. a e b r. e u / e n / n e w s / news_detail.php?news_id=61. Most of the presentations that were given during the forum are also available for download. Due to the success of this event, the organisers agreed to hold a III Forum on this subject in spring Source: Xunta de Galicia Source: news/ news_detail.php? news_id=61

2 2nd Assises of decentralized cooperation March 2011, The consolidation of this gathering of local and regional authorities from the EU and developing countries, including some AEBR members and partners, showed a dynamic exchange of views while keeping a dialogue with EU institutions on development cooperation. On the occasion of the Assises, three additional events were organized at the CoR regarding TER-RES (Territoires Responsables), Platforma and the Joint EU-Africa Strategy. Assisesondecentralisedcooperation.aspx In this framework, the AEBR signed a cooperation agreement with the African Union Borders Programme in order to exchange information, support AU s activities and promote CBC in Africa. The Head of The AUBP, Ambassador Aguibou Diarrah, signed on behalf of the AU with the Secretary General of the AEBR. During the Assises, the Asociación Iberoamericana de Desarrollo Local Transfronterizo (AIDELTRA), the Iberian American Cross-Border Local Development Association, was presented in to different institutions. AIDELTRA was created in 2008 to increase local actors involvement and capacities, exchange experiences and promote CBC activities. EUROPE-MOLDOVA Forum Chisinau/Moldova, March 2011 From left: Mr. Martín Guillermo Ramírez, Secretary General of AEBR, and Mr. Aguibou Diarrah, former Ambassador of Mali, currently in charge of the African Union Border Programme The AEBR moderated a Round Table with political representatives of Moldova, Norway, Romania, Russia and Ukraine on Regional and CB Cooperation as a European dimension of solidarity, where the process of reforms initiated by the new Moldovan Government and the role of Moldova as a bridge country between the EU, Ukraine and the Russian Federation were highlighted. (More: SINCE 30 TH APRIL, LABOUR MARKET IS MORE EUROPEAN The transition of seven years applied by EU-17 Member states to the workers from the new member states that joined the EU in 2004, with restrictions to the principle of free movement of labour, has ended on 30 April (this affects particularly Germany and Austria). Some employment restrictions will remain until te 31 st of December 2013 on Bulgaria and Romania, which entered the EU in 2007 (imposed by Belgium, Germany, Ireland, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, the Netherlands, Austria and the United Kingdom). The EU Commission has reported that the flow of citizens following enlargement has been overestimated, and this flow has even slowed down since the economic crisis. CROSS-BORDER HEALTH CARE Final report on the public consultation on the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. Stakeholders sent 524 contributions. The report on the public consultation is now available: ageing_cons_01_en.htm ehealth Strategies study results: Summary report and country reports on ehealth strategies and implementations in 30 countries in Europe available: news_id=63 Mobility of patients and professionals An informal Health Council on 4 and 5 April in Gödöllö (Hungary) focused mobility of patients and health care professionals, and launched a post EU action programme. Health is not only a source of expenditure but also generates added value. A set of draft conclusions on modernisation of the health care sector will be submitted for adoption at the formal Health Council, on 6 June. The 5th EUREGIO II Project Meeting will take place in Sofia next 30th and 31st May. Further information will follow in next editions of this Newsflash. COORDINATION OF SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEMS EU Regulations 883/2004 and 987/2009 only came into force one year ago, on 1 May 2010, and a follow-up report on their implementation considers it positive, even if some measures require further ROAMING AEBR follows different initiatives aimed to reduce roaming costs particularly in CB areas. Spanish- Portuguese border regions, the Euroregion Meuse- Rhine (BE-DE-NL) and other CB institutions are very active in finding a suitable solution to reduce the impact of non-volunteer roaming in SMEs and individuals. All contributions (including the one of AEBR) to the consultation of the European Commission held in the beginning of this year are available on ec.europa.eu/information_society/activities/roaming/ regulation/consult2011/index_en.htm. MARITIME TRANSPORT The Conference of Peripheral Maritime Regions of Europe (CPMR) organized a seminar in Gijon (Spain), on 15 April, focused on the accessibility of maritime regions. Participants stated that maritime transport and involved regions cannot be ignored if the EU wishes to develop the mobility of goods and persons while reducing the carbon intensity of transport. You will find more info in the CRPM website: 2

3 EVENTS IN THE EU DATE/PLACE TOPIC INFOS 4 May 2011, 14:00-17:30 10 May May 2011, 12:00-14:00, International Press Center 11 May May May 2011 Gödöllö, Hungary May 2011 Bad Schandau, Germany Decin, Czech Republic 25 May May 2011, 11:00-13: May 2011 Bratislava, Slovak Republic 2 June 2011 Rzeszów, Poland June 2011 Bremen, Germany June 2011 Florence, Italy June 2011 Bruges, Belgium June 2011, Belgium 6 July July 2011 Poreč, Croatia 7-9 September 2011 Krynica, Poland September 2011 Kursk, Russian Federation October 2011, Belgium How innovative is your region? Presentation and debate of a report by the OECD CoR Forum Social Innovation: European vision, local action Integrating online video into EU Public Affairs ESPON High level conference CoR Plenary Session Informal Ministerial Meeting GI2011-X-border-Symposium-CZ GI2011-X-border-Symposium NN CoP TP Health meeting EOC EU Office: Conference on Regional Policy and Sport Carpathian Convention Conference Conference Carpathian Horizon challenges for the Carpathian Regional Development Agency ARL Congress: Spatial Development in Europe 2020 With Each Other For Each Other Against Each Other International Conference The Future of Education Annual Conference 2011 of the Interreg IVB North Sea Programme Regions for Economic Change Conference & Regio Stars Awards ARLEM SUDEV Commission ARLEM ECOTER Commission Global Economic Forum AEBR General Assembly and Annual Conference 2011 OPEN DAYS 2011 Investing in Europe s future: Regions and cities delivering smart, sustainable and inclusive growths conferences/oecdreport/ index_en.cfm Menu_Events/ Menu_Conferences/ html news_detail.php?news_id= cms/index.php? p=248&s=eoc_news&eid=75 rdonlyres/ae712b9d-b c-a99a F3F05/0/ ProvisionalAgenda_DOC1.pdf Contact for more information: Strategy and Projects Office, Association of Carpathian Euroregion Poland: sekretariat@karpacki.pl show/&tid=67 conferences/smart_sustainable/ home_en.cfm vorschau/ international-conference-the-future-ofeducation-florence-it events_detail.php?event_id=79 conferences/od2011/index.cfm? nmenu=1&sub=100 3

4 NEWS FROM EUROPEAN INSTITUTIONS EXTENSION OF SCHENGEN? Some Member States have asked lately to broaden the criteria for temporary restoration of border controls in the Schengen area if exceptional difficulties arise. On 4 th May a Commission s communication on Governance of the Schengen a r e a i s e x p e c t e d, w h i l e Commission s President José Manuel Barroso warns against a vision of immigration excessively based on law and order. There is a risk that national pressures could lead to a two-tier Schengen area. In fact, this proposal to reform Schengen comes together with the entry of Bulgaria and Romania. The same 4th of May the Commission is also expected to present a package of actions on immigration, including enhanced partnerships with the Southern Mediterranean countries. EUROPEAN COMMISSION: The European Commission approves regional information and communication programme ( ) for the Neighbourhood Partners: europa. eu/ rapid/ pressreleasesa ction. do? reference=ip/11/450&format=html&aged=0&language=en&guilanguage=en Digital Agenda: Commission seeks views on improving healthcare by applying ICT (ehealth): europa.eu/rapid/pressreleasesaction.do?reference=ip/11/461&format=html&aged=0&language=en&guilanguage=en Ukraine to participate in EU Programmes: reference=ip/11/446&format=html&aged=0&language=en&guilanguage=en OPEN DAYS 2011: Local Events can still be proposed until 27 May 2011: EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT: R E G I - N e w s, A p r i l : h t t p : / / w w w. e u r o p a r l. e u r o p a. e u / d o c u m e n t / a c t i v i t i e s / cont/201104/ att17093/ att17093en.pdf HUNGARIAN PRESIDENCY OF THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN UNION: Enlargement: Presidency counts on EP s help: E2%80%99s-help Package of six legislative proposals: Parliament also feels its responsibility: package-six-legislative-proposals-parliament-also-feels-its-responsibility Solidarity and competitiveness to set course of cohesion policy: Danube strategy. The EU Council approved the Danube region strategy on 14 April, the second after the Baltic one, aimed to offer the citizens in the region a better quality of life, more economic opportunities and job-creating businesses, an improved environment and more cultural exchanges by Macroregional strategies are based on the principle of budget neutrality (no additional financial resources) and that they must not generate new structures or new legislation at EU level. COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS: Situation in the Mediterranean - a priority on the CIVEX agenda: PressTemplate.aspx?view=detail&id=5e85cfc7-401d-42d4-831f-b51c7c6d28c3 Committee of the Regions presents proposals for future cohesion policy: PressTemplate.aspx?view=detail&id=20d8dc73-0f0d e9f-053a The CoR is drawing an own initiative report on an Adriatic-Ionian strategy, expected to be adopted next October. Gian Mario Spacca (ALDE, Italy) is the rapporteur. 5th Subsidiarity Conference, 21st March, Bilbao (Spain), Results available: subsidiarity/news/pages/fifthconferencesubsidiarity.aspx CoR Subsidiarity Report 2010 published: Subsidiarity%20Annual%20Report%202010_cdr57_11_en.pdf CoR Action Plan 2010 Reports of the Working Groups: ActionPlan2010%E2%80%93ReportsoftheWorkingGroups.aspx CoR Action Plan 2011 Call for partners! (Please contact subsidiarity@cor.europa.eu for more information). Study on Regional Parliaments and the Early Warning System: Pages/StudyonRegionalParliamentsandtheEarlyWarningSystem.aspx Consultations by the European Commission: Consultation on What is needed to increase the mobility and participation of young people in Europe? Towards the Youth on the Move card (Deadline: 4 June 2011): news/18025.aspx Consultation on the Green Paper on a Strategy Framework for future EU Research Funding (Deadline: 20 May 2011): Stakeholder consultation on health security in the European Union (Deadline extended to 11 May 2011): 4

5 ORESUND WINS INTERMODES 2011 PRIZE This award recognizes exemplary intermodal policy which was initiated ten years ago and that continues through the completion of the tunnel in Malmö. This is to acknowledge the political will of communities in Sweden and in Denmark to improve the mobility of their citizens within a European border perimeter. Beyond fostering inter-regional mobility, the Oresund Region also symbolizes a link between North and South of Europe; regarding the City Tunnel in Malmö, it complements and strengthens the intermodal transport network by offering a shortcut to Europe. The initiatives implemented over the last decade within the Region in terms of mobility, including the most recent, the Malmö tunnel, deserve to be rewarded for their exemplarity: better connected, the territories gained attractivity for the betterment of residents, commuters and tourists. More Information: NEWS AND PRESENTATIONS OF AEBR MEMBER REGIONS Initiative Metropolitan Border Regions IMeG founded on the occasion of the event Cross-border metropolitan zones : (Infos available in German only!) EUREGIO bayerischer wald-böhmerwald/regionalmanagement Mühlviertel, RMOÖ News 2/2011: EUREGIO EGRENSIS Newsletter 01/2011: EGRNESIS/newsletter2011_01.pdf FEDEX, the Spanish-Portuguese Training, Employment and Development Fair took place on 7-9 April in Mérida (Extremadura). Universities, businesses, institutions, students and experts involved in the CB Spanish- Portuguese Labour Market met with the aim to put training at the core of job development in this challenging labour market: Several presentations of AEBR member regions have been updated in the Database of European Border and Cross-Border Regions in the AEBR Website: Inn-Salzach-EUREGIO Euroregion Danubius Euroregion Lower Danube Euroregion Yaroslavna, host of the AEBR General Assembly and Annual EVENTS OF AEBR MEMBER REGIONS 2 May 2011, Pratteln/Switzerland: 48th General Assembly of REGIO BASILIENSIS ( May 2011, Palermo/Italy: Al Idrisi Award Ceremony and Interinstitutional Forum Proposals for a new Euromediterranean Policy ( event_id=94) June 2011, Halden/Norway: Cross-Border Forum 2011 ( events_detail.php?event_id=89) 1-2 December 2011, Zittau/Germany: 20th Anniversary of Euroregion Neisse-Nysa-Nisa 5

6 MAIN AEBR EVENTS June 2011: AEBR Executive Committee meeting in Gotse Delchev Euroregion Nestos-Mesta, Bulgaria 8-12 August 2011: III AEBR Youth forum, Lappeenranta (Finland) 8 September 2011: AEBR Discussion Panel on Innovation in European Cross-Border Regions, Economic Forum in Krynica, Poland 21 September 2011: AEBR Workshop in Moscow, Russia September 2011: AEBR Executive Committee meeting, General Assembly and Annual Conference 2011 in Kursk, Russia, Euroregion Yaroslavna 2-3 December 2011: AEBR Executive Committee meeting in Vaasa, Finland VACANCY for a Project Officer at the Joint Technical Secretariat s Rostock Office - Closure date: The Joint Technical Secretariat of the Baltic Sea Region Programme is looking for a Project Officer with several years of relevant professional experience. The new colleague will support the implementation of transnational projects, in particular the monitoring of projects' implementation. The job can be started as soon as possible and will end on 31 December Deadline for sending applications is 30 may For more information please consult Vacancies.937.html?. Editor of the AEBR Newsflash: Martín Guillermo-Ramírez, AEBR Secretary General Coordination: Cordula Pandary, AEBR Office Coordinator AEBR AGEG ARFE Enscheder Str. 362 D Gronau (Germany) Tel.: +49 (0) Fax: +49 (0) info@aebr.eu If you wish to announce events or publish news from your region in the AEBR newsflash, please get in touch with the AEBR Head Office by contacting c.pandary@aebr.eu. Deadline for the next edition: 20 May Thank you! The Association of European Border Regions (AEBR) is the oldest independent association of regions in Europe, founded in 1971, and the only one dealing with Cross-Border Cooperation (CBC). AEBR has almost forty years of extensive theoretical and practical experience in all aspects related to CBC, but also in the fields of inter-regional and transnational co-operation. With its 100 members (European border and cross-border regions), the AEBR is a forum for cross-border cooperation and makes the voice of the border and crossborder regions heard at European level. The AEBR Newsflash is sent to everyone on the AEBR members and friends e- mail list. If you have friends or colleagues who would like to be added to the mailing list, please send their details to info@aebr.eu. Please think twice before printing this Newsletter. Perhaps you can enjoy and share it by electronic means! A PDF version of this newsflash is available for download from our website ( publications.php). Euroregions, border and cross-border regions or organisations interested in receiving information about the conditions of an AEBR membership are invited to contact the AEBR Head Office. 6